Chile - Part Two

So we're back from Chile. It was such a fun trip. Barb, Missy and I flew to Santiago for a few days, with a day trip in the middle to Valparaiso. I wish we had spent more time in Chile, but for some reason that I don't know remember, we only booked a few days away.

I had heard mixed reviews about Santiago, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Some things turned out to be true -- as reported, there is a thick layer of smog that blankets a good portion of the city, and makes viewing the nearby mountains difficult. But, the area of town we stayed in (Providencia) was pleasant and sunny, with no smog -- and lots of bars serving pisco sours and playing awesome 80's alternative music.

We decided over drinks that Santiago is the Vince Vaughn to Buenos Aires' Brad Pitt. Sure, BA is beautiful, glamorous, photographs well, and is the subject of many articles. But Santiago is cute in its own way, and, I think, a bit more easygoing. What I will probably remember the most is how friendly and outgoing the people we met in Santiago were. Oh -- and also that for some strange reason there are a lot of hot dog restaurants.

We took a day trip to Valparaiso, a smallish port town on the coast of Chile. Valp'o is apparently a UNESCO World Heritage Site, although I really have no idea what that means -- it's just something I keep seeing in guide books. Except for the few blocks near the water, the rest of the town is built into a mountain, with colorful houses stacked atop each other all the way to the top. We wandered around the various streets and checked out the house of Pablo Neruda, a Chilean poet.

Some pictures (if you are into that kind of thing):



The town is full of vibrant colors -- either from the house paint, the art, or even the graffiti -- much of which is stenciled repeatedly onto walls. (If you look, there's a little Sid Vicious stencil in the left hand side of the one picture.)